Fibrous sold carbon manifold assembly and method for producing the same

ABSTRACT

A fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly and a method for producing the fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly are provided. The fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly has fibrous bodies carbonized, and a limitless number of superfine graphite filaments grown on surfaces of the carbonized fibrous bodies, in the inside of each of said fibrous bodies and in a gap between adjacent ones of said fibrous bodies. With such a configuration, the number of superfine graphite filaments can be increased more greatly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a fibrous solid carbon manifoldassembly which can be applied to a wide technical field such asfield-emission electron sources (specifically, needles of electronguns), various gas adsorbing materials, electrode materials forbatteries, superfine cushioning materials, superfine elastic materials,and so on, and a method for producing the fibrous solid carbon manifoldassembly.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional needle of a field-emission electron gun or thelike was provided as one piece. For this reason, the needle of theelectron gun was obliged to be exchanged for a new one when the needlewas damaged in use.

[0005] JP-A-2001-2290806 has proposed a material used as afield-emission electron source and including: a metallic substratecontaining a metal such as iron as a main component serving as a core onwhich nanotube-like fiber of carbon will be produced; a large number ofthrough-holes formed in the metallic substrate; and a film of carbonnanotube-like fiber formed on surfaces of the metal substrate and oncircumferential walls of the through-holes. Methods for producing suchcarbon nanotube-like fiber have been proposed in JP-A-2000-203820,JP-A-2000-327317, JP-A-2001-48510, etc.

[0006] The aforementioned material having carbon nanotube-like fibergrown on surfaces of a metallic substrate has various excellentproperties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a fibrous solidcarbon manifold assembly in which the number of superfine graphitefilaments such as carbon nanotube-like fiber filaments is increased moregreatly, and a method for producing the fibrous solid carbon manifoldassembly.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, according to first means ofthe present invention, there is provided a fibrous solid carbon manifoldassembly including: fibrous bodies carbonized; and a limitless number ofsuperfine graphite filaments grown on surfaces of the fibrous bodies, inthe inside of each of the fibrous bodies and in a gap between adjacentones of the fibrous bodies.

[0009] According to second means of the present invention, there isprovided a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly including: fibrousbodies carbonized; a limitless number of superfine graphite filamentsgrown and carried on surfaces of the fibrous bodies, in the inside ofeach of the fibrous bodies and in a gap between adjacent ones of thefibrous bodies; and chaff charcoal powder or marine algae/bacteriacontaining a micro-crystal structure of cellulose, and carried on thesurfaces of the fibrous bodies, in the inside of each of the fibrousbodies and in the gap between adjacent ones of the fibrous bodies.

[0010] According to third means of the present invention, there isprovided a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly defined in the firstor second means, wherein the superfine graphite filaments are hollowfilaments.

[0011] According to fourth means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly,including the steps of: depositing fine particles of a catalyst onsurfaces of fibrous bodies, in the inside of each of the fibrous bodiesand in a gap between adjacent ones of the fibrous bodies, for example,by an impregnation method or an ion exchange method; and bringing thecatalyst fine particle-deposited fibrous bodies into contact with ahydrocarbon gas such as a methane gas at a high temperature in ananaerobic condition to thereby carbonize the fibrous bodies and generateand grow a limitless number of superfine graphite filaments on thesurfaces of the fibrous bodies, in the inside of each of the fibrousbodies and in the gap between adjacent ones of the fibrous bodies.

[0012] According to fifth means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly,including the steps of: carbonizing fibrous bodies in another place oras a pre-treatment process in the same reaction furnace; depositing fineparticles of a catalyst on surfaces of the carbonized fibrous bodies, inthe inside of each of the fibrous bodies and in a gap between adjacentones of the fibrous bodies; and bringing the catalyst fineparticle-deposited fibrous bodies into contact with a hydrocarbon gas ata high temperature to thereby generate and grow a limitless number ofsuperfine graphite filaments in the inside of each of the carbonizedfibrous bodies and in the gap between adjacent ones of the fibrousbodies.

[0013] According to six means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblydefined in the fourth or fifth means, wherein: the catalyst isconstituted by metallic fine particles such as nickel fine particles;and the step of bringing the catalyst fine particle-deposited fibrousbodies into contact with a hydrocarbon gas to generate and growsuperfine graphite filaments is carried out while a magnetic field isapplied to the fibrous bodies.

[0014] According to seventh means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblydefined in the fourth or fifth means, further including the step ofremoving (for example, polishing) the catalyst fine particles depositedon head portions of the graphite filaments.

[0015] According eighth means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblydefined in the fourth or fifth means, further including the steps of:forming a filament set layer by using a mixture of each of the growngraphite filament-containing fibrous bodies and a binder such as ahigh-molecular binder; and polishing a surface of the filament set layerto thereby reveal the graphite filaments.

[0016] According to ninth means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblydefined in the eighth means, wherein: the step of forming the filamentset layer is carried out by applying or bonding the mixture of each ofthe fibrous bodies and the binder onto a support member such as a metalplate; and the method further includes the step of releasing the supportmember from the filament set layer after a surface of the filament setlayer is polished.

[0017] According to tenth means of the present invention, there isprovided a method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblydefined in the ninth means, wherein: the step of forming the filamentset layer is carried out by forming a water-soluble adhesive layer suchas a polyvinyl alcohol layer on the support member and applying orbonding the mixture of each of the fibrous bodies and the binder ontothe water-soluble adhesive layer; and the step of releasing the supportmember from the filament set layer is carried out by dissolving thewater-soluble adhesive layer in water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an apparatus for producing a fibroussolid carbon manifold assembly according to an embodiment of theinvention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an example of the form of thefiber base material used in the invention;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a view for explaining another example of the form of thefiber base material used in the invention;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a further example of the form ofthe fiber base material used in the invention;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a typical view for explaining a process of growth of agraphite filament;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a typical view showing a state in which graphitefilaments are grown on a surface of a fibrous body;

[0024]FIG. 7 is a typical view showing a state in which graphitefilaments are grown in the inside of a fibrous body;

[0025]FIG. 8 is a typical view showing a state in which graphitefilaments are grown in a gap between two fibrous bodies;

[0026]FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an intermediate product having afilament set layer formed therein;

[0027]FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a display device formed by usingthe fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly;

[0028]FIG. 11 is a top view of a substrate printed with catalytic inkaccording to another embodiment of the invention;

[0029]FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the substrate printed with thecatalytic ink; and

[0030]FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a state in which graphitefilaments are grown on the substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] An embodiment of the invention will be described below withreference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an apparatusfor producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly according to anembodiment of the invention. FIGS. 2 to 4 are views for explaining theform of a fiber base material used in the invention. FIG. 5 is a typicalview for explaining a process of growth of a graphite filament. FIG. 6is a typical view showing a state in which graphite filaments are grownon a surface of a fibrous body. FIG. 7 is a typical view showing a statein which graphite filaments are grown in the inside of a fibrous body.FIG. 8 is a typical view showing a state in which graphite filaments aregrown in a gap between two fibrous bodies. FIG. 9 is a sectional view ofan intermediate product having a filament set layer formed therein. FIG.10 is a sectional view of a display device formed by using the fibroussolid carbon manifold assembly.

[0032] A material prepared by winding a wide sheet spirally into a rolland pressing the roll vertically into a flat plate shape as a whole asshown in FIG. 2 may be used as the fiber base material 1 which serves asa graphite filament carrier as will be described later. Or a materialprepared by piling a large number of cut sheets having a predeterminedwidth and pressing the pile vertically into a flat plate shape as awhole as shown in FIG. 3 may be used as the fiber base material 1. Or amaterial prepared by folding a wide sheet alternately and pressing thefolded sheet vertically into a flat plate shape as a whole as shown inFIG. 4 may be used as the fiber base material 1.

[0033] The fiber base material 1 is made of fabric or nonwoven fabric ofsynthetic fiber, natural fiber or inorganic fiber, paper, felt,implanted matter, corrugated board matter, etc.

[0034] For example, polyamide, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate,acrylonitrile, polyvinyl alcohol, etc. can be used as the material ofthe synthetic fiber. For example, cotton, hemp, silk, wool, etc. can beused as the material of the natural fiber. For example, glass fiber,alumina fiber, silica-alumina fiber, carbon fiber, etc. can be used asthe inorganic fiber.

[0035] The fiber base material 1 may be hybridized with marine algae,bacteria, etc. containing chaff charcoal powder of carbonized andpulverized chaff or cellulose microfibril (fine cellulose molecularcrystal structure).

[0036] A catalyst which serves as a core on which graphite filamentswill be produced is carried on a surface of the fiber base material 1and in the inside of the fiber base material 1. Examples of the catalystused include: a metal such as nickel, cobalt, iron, copper ormolybdenum; an alloy of at least two selected from these metals (such asNi—Co, Ni—Fe—Co, Ni—Mo or Fe—Ni—Mo); and a mixture of the metal or alloyand a precious metal such as platinum, rhodium or silver.

[0037] Specifically, for example, a mixture solution of lower alcoholand nickel acetate can be used. When the fiber base material 1 isimmersed into this solution and dried, the fine particle-like catalyticmetal is carried on the nearly whole surface of the fiber base material1 and in the nearly whole inside of the fiber base material 1 by animpregnation method or an ion exchange method.

[0038] The fiber base material 1 with the catalyst is set in a reactionchamber 2 shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of stages each having a framemember 3 and a gas-permeable bearing member 4 placed on the frame member3 and made of a metallic net, an expanded metal, or the like, areprovided in the reaction chamber 2. The fiber base material 1 with thecatalyst is placed on each of the stages.

[0039] A gas inlet 9 is provided at a lower portion of the reactionchamber 2. A gas outlet 10 is provided at an upper portion of thereaction chamber 2. Magnetic field generating means 5 made of a singleor laminated magnet or the like is provided on the top of the reactionchamber 2. Magnetic field and magnetic flux are generated vertically inthe reaction chamber 2 by the magnetic field generating means 5. Theinside of the reaction chamber 2 is kept in a high-temperature state bya heater (not shown). The reaction temperature is preferably selected tobe in a range of from 500° C. to 900° C., particularly not lower than650° C.

[0040] Gas-like hydrocarbon or a mixture containing hydrocarbon isintroduced into the reaction chamber 2 through the gas inlet 9. Forexample, chain hydrocarbon such as alkane, alkene or alkyne, alicyclichydrocarbon or aromatic hydrocarbon can be used as the hydrocarbon. Forexample, natural gas or petroleum gas can be used as thehydrocarbon-containing mixture. As occasion demands, inert gas such asargon or nitrogen may be mixed with the hydrocarbon or thehydrocarbon-containing mixture.

[0041] When methane gas is used as the hydrocarbon, monocrystalline,polycrystalline or sooty graphite filaments having a multilayerstructure of six-membered rings (graphene) are generated and grown bythe following chemical reaction under the presence of the aforementionedcatalyst. The chemical reaction serves as a reaction for directlydiscomposing methane and also as a reaction for producing by-productpure hydrogen simultaneously.

CH₄C+2H₂

[0042]FIG. 5 is a view typically showing a state in which a graphitefilament is generated and grown. First, the fine particle-like catalyticmetal serves as a core on which a graphite filament will be produced.Carbon atoms are trapped in the catalyst 7 which gets into asubstantially molten state because of the high temperature. Then, thecarbon atoms are extruded into a tube shape from the catalyst 7 to startthe production of a hollow graphite filament 6. When entrapment andextrusion of carbon atoms through the catalyst 7 is repeated in theaforementioned manner, the hollow graphite filament 6 grows gradually.Also when the graphite filament has another shape, the graphite filamentcan grow.

[0043] When a magnetic material such as Ni, Co, Fe, Ni—Co, Ni—Fe—Co,Ni—Mo or Fe—Ni—Mo as described above is used as the catalyst 7 in thecondition that magnetic field is formed in a predetermined direction bythe magnetic field generating means 5 as shown in FIG. 1, graphitefilaments 6 grow in the predetermined direction (magnetic fielddirection) because of the influence of the magnetic field. Accordingly,the directions of growth of the graphite filaments 6 can be made uniformas well as the growth of the graphite filaments 6 can be accelerated.

[0044] Incidentally, it is generally said that there is a possibilitythat a metal maybe demagnetized when the temperature of the metalreaches its Curie point (e.g., Fe: 800° C., Ni: 350° C.). A magneticresonance phenomenon or the like however occurs because a substancevibrates finely atomistically. For this reason, it is conceived thateach graphite filament 6 grows in a predetermined direction because thecatalyst 7 made of metallic fine particles is influenced by the magneticfield under the aforementioned high-temperature condition.

[0045] Each graphite filament 6 can be grown substantially linearly orcan be grown non-linearly into a coiled spring shape, a “U” shape, an“S” shape, a “W” shape, a “9” shape, a circular arc shape or the like,in accordance with the way of applying the magnetic field. A set ofgraphite filaments 6 each grown nonlinearly into a coiled spring shapeor the like can be used as a micro cushioning or elastic material suchas a micro spring because the graphite filament set has microelasticity.

[0046] FIGS. 6 to 8 are views typically showing states in which thegraphite filaments 6 are generated and grown. The fiber base material 1used as a carrier for carrying the graphite filaments 6 has been alreadycarbonized because of the high-temperature and oxygen-free condition inthe reaction chamber 2. A limitless number of graphite filaments 6 aregenerated and grown on a surface of each of carbonized fibrous bodies 8constituting the fiber base material 1 as shown in FIG. 6, in the insideof each of the fibrous bodies 8 as shown in FIG. 7 and in a gap betweenadjacent ones of the fibrous bodies 8 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0047] Although FIGS. 6 to 8 show graphite filaments 6 grownsubstantially linearly, the graphite filaments 6 may be constituted by amixture of non-linearly grown graphite filaments 6 and linearly growngraphite filaments 6 or by non-linearly grown graphite filaments 6 as amain component in accordance with contrivance of the way of applying themagnetic field.

[0048] Although FIGS. 6 to 8 show the case where states of a surface ofa fibrous body 8, an inside of a fibrous body 8 and a gap between twofibrous bodies 8 are drawn separately, a limitless number of graphitefilaments 6 are actually grown in every place of one fiber base material1 so that the states as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are mixed together.

[0049] Each graphite filament 6 has a length ranging from about 1 ìm toabout 100 ìm and a thickness ranging from about 10 nm, inclusively, toabout 1 ìm, exclusively.

[0050] Although this embodiment has shown the case where the fiber basematerial 1 is carbonized in the reaction chamber 2, the invention may bealso applied to the case where the fiber base material 1 is carbonizedat a high temperature in an anaerobic condition by another process or bya pre-treatment process in the same reaction furnace before the fiberbase material 1 is set in the reaction chamber 2.

[0051] After the first reaction, the same catalytic treatment asdescribed above is applied to perform a second growth reaction. Whilegrown in the lengthwise direction, the graphite filaments 6 are grownfat as a whole simultaneously. If such growth is required, theaforementioned catalytic treatment and the reaction for generating thegraphite filaments 6 can be repeated so many times. The number ofreactions depends on the final state of each of the graphite filaments6. It is generally preferable that the number of reactions is 1 or 2.

[0052] Hydrogen gas produced by the reaction of generating the graphitefilaments 6 is taken out through the gas outlet 10 shown in FIG. 1. Toprevent explosion due to the hydrogen gas, an adequate amount of inertgas (such as Ar, N₂, etc.) may be mixed with the hydrocarbon gassupplied as a raw material in advance.

[0053] A method for producing needles of an electron gun for displaydevice by using the fiber base material having a limitless number ofgraphite filaments grown and carried thereon in the aforementionedmanner will be described below.

[0054] The fiber base material having the graphite filaments grown andcarried thereon in the aforementioned manner is mechanically squashedand pulverized to form fine particles. A high-molecular material (suchas an epoxy resin or an ultraviolet-setting resin) or a glass materialused as a binder is immersed in or kneaded with the fine particles. Aplate-like support member constituted by a metal plate, a ceramic plate,or the like, is used and the aforementioned kneaded mixture is expandedlike a sheet on the support member and solidified so that a filament setlayer endurable in the polishing step (which will be described later) isformed. On this occasion, a water-soluble adhesive agent such aspolyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is applied ontoa surface of the support member and dried in advance so that thefilament set layer is applied onto the water-soluble adhesive layer anddried.

[0055]FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing an intermediate product havingthe filament set layer formed thereon. As shown in FIG. 9, the filamentset layer 13 having a predetermined thickness is formed on a supportmember 11 through a water-soluble adhesive layer 12.

[0056] In this example, a fiber base material having graphite filamentsgrown and carried thereon is pulverized in use. Alternatively, after afiber base material having graphite filaments grown and carried thereonis mechanically squashed into a predetermined shape such as a plateshape, the inside and surface of the fiber base material may beimpregnated or kneaded with a high-molecular material or a glassmaterial as a binder and then the fiber base material may be fixed ontoa surface of the support member.

[0057] The water-soluble adhesive layer 12 may be replaced by adouble-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

[0058] Then, the surface of the filament set layer 13 is polished with agrindstone so that graphite filaments not covered with the binder arerevealed on the surface. The limitless number of graphite filamentsrevealed in the aforementioned manner form needles of an electron gun.On this occasion, low accuracy of the order of tens of ìm will do forthe surface roughness. This is because the thickness of a vacuum layerenough to receive tip portions of the needles of the electron gun(revealed graphite filaments) is about 100 ìm. The reason why the vacuumlayer is made relatively thick in the aforementioned manner is thatreduction in the cost of ceramic balls (e.g., glass hollow balls)interposed as spacers for forming the vacuum layer can be attained.

[0059] Although this embodiment has shown the case where the filamentset layer 13 is polished with a grindstone, another means such as adicing saw may be used. In addition, in order to polish the filament setlayer 13, a superfine polishing method such as CMP (Chemical MechanicalPolishing) which is a polishing technique used in thesemiconductor-related field may be used for performing high-precisionprocessing to make the aforementioned vacuum layer thinner.

[0060] The filament set layer 13 needs to come into contact with anelectrode. Therefore, the support member 11 of the intermediate productshown in FIG. 9 is released. Then, the rear surface of the filament setlayer 13 is slightly polished so that the graphite filaments arerevealed also on the rear surface. Because the support member 11 isintegrated with the filament set layer 13 by the water-soluble adhesivelayer 12 in the aforementioned manner, the support member 11 can bereleased easily when the water-soluble adhesive layer 12 is dissolved inwater.

[0061]FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a display device using the electrongun. In FIG. 10, the reference numeral 14 designates an electrodepatterned into a predetermined shape; and 13, a filament set layerplaced on the electrode 14. A limitless number of graphite filaments 6exposed on the front surface of the filament set layer 13 serve asneedles of an electron gun. The graphite filaments 6 are brought intocontact with each other or electrically connected to one another throughthe carbonized fibrous bodies 8.

[0062] The reference numeral 15 designates a vacuum layer; 16, afluorescent substance layer; and 17, a glass layer. Ceramic balls (notshown) which serve as spacers are interposed between the filament setlayer 13 and the fluorescent substance layer 16 to thereby secure thethickness of the vacuum layer 15.

[0063] FIGS. 11 to 13 are views showing another embodiment of theinvention. In this embodiment, desired patterns or designs are drawn ona substrate 18 such as a ceramic substrate or a metal substrate withcatalytic ink 19 by printing as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. For example,the catalytic ink 19 is a solution composed of a solvent of organicliquid such as alcohol or/and water, and a compound containing acatalytic component such as nickel acetate and dissolved in the solvent.The catalytic content of the solution is preferably in a range of fromabout 5% by weight to about 30% by weight.

[0064] The substrate 18 on which the catalytic ink 19 is deposited isplaced on a bearing member 4 shown in FIG. 1 and brought into contactwith hydrocarbon gas in a high-temperature condition to grow graphitefilaments 6 on the substrate 18 to thereby form a filament set layer 13as shown in FIG. 13. The grown graphite filaments 6 are influenced bythe magnetic field formed by the magnetic field generating means 5 sothat the direction of growth thereof is substantially uniform. Theplanar shape of the formed filament set layer 13 is the same as that ofthe printed pattern of the catalytic ink 19.

[0065] Although this embodiment has shown the case where a fiber basematerial having graphite filaments grown and carried thereon ispulverized into fine particles so that a mixture of the fine particlesand a binder is molded, the invention may be also applied to the casewhere the aforementioned fiber base material having graphite filamentsgrown and carried thereon is used directly without pulverization inaccordance with use purpose.

[0066] The fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly according to theinvention can be applied not only to the field-emission electron sourcebut also to various industrial fields, for example, materials foradsorbing/occluding various kinds of gases such as hydrogen gas,deodorants, filters, electrodes for batteries such as fuel batteries orsolar cells, electromagnetic absorbing (or shielding) materials, probes,micro cushioning materials, micro elastic materials, etc.

[0067] As described above, in accordance with the invention, a limitlessnumber of superfine graphite filaments are grown on surfaces of fibrousbodies, in the inside of each of the fibrous bodies and in a gap betweenadjacent ones of the fibrous bodies. The fibrous bodies can carrycatalytic fine particles in every place such as the surfaces of thefibrous bodies, the inside of each of the fibrous bodies and the gapbetween adjacent ones of the fibrous bodies. Accordingly, the number ofgraphite filaments can be increased limitlessly.

[0068] With the increase in the number of graphite filaments in theaforementioned manner, functional improvement of the graphite filaments,e.g., uniform emission of field electrons, increase in the quantity ofadsorbed/occluded gas and improvement of the electromagnetic absorbing(or shielding) function, or achievement of a micro cushioning materialor a micro elastic material can be attained.

[0069] In addition, when a magnetic field is applied, the shape of eachof the graphite filaments can be controlled to any shape such as alinear shape or a non-linear shape.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblycomprising: fibrous bodies carbonized; and a limitless number ofsuperfine graphite filaments grown on surfaces of said fibrous bodies,in the inside of each of said fibrous bodies and in a gap betweenadjacent ones of said fibrous bodies.
 2. A fibrous solid carbon manifoldassembly comprising: fibrous bodies carbonized; a limitless number ofsuperfine graphite filaments grown and carried on surfaces of saidfibrous bodies, in the inside of each of said fibrous bodies and in agap between adjacent ones of said fibrous bodies; and chaff charcoalpowder or marine algae/bacteria containing a micro-crystal structure ofcellulose, and carried on said surfaces of said fibrous bodies, in theinside of each of said fibrous bodies and in said gap between adjacentones of said fibrous bodies.
 3. A fibrous solid carbon manifold assemblyaccording to claim 1 or 2, wherein said superfine graphite filaments arehollow filaments.
 4. A method of producing a fibrous solid carbonmanifold assembly, comprising the steps of: depositing fine particles ofa catalyst on surfaces of fibrous bodies, in the inside of each of saidfibrous bodies and in a gap between adjacent ones of said fibrousbodies; and bringing the catalyst fine particle-deposited fibrous bodiesinto contact with a hydrocarbon gas at a high temperature in ananaerobic condition to thereby carbonize said fibrous bodies andgenerate and grow a limitless number of superfine graphite filaments onsaid surfaces of said fibrous bodies, in the inside of each of saidfibrous bodies and in said gap between adjacent ones of said fibrousbodies.
 5. A method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifoldassembly, comprising the steps of: carbonizing fibrous bodies;depositing fine particles of a catalyst on surfaces of said carbonizedfibrous bodies, in the inside of each of said fibrous bodies and in agap between adjacent ones of said fibrous bodies; and bringing thecatalyst fine particle-deposited fibrous bodies into contact with ahydrocarbon gas at a high temperature to thereby generate and grow alimitless number of superfine graphite filaments in the inside of eachof said carbonized fibrous bodies and in said gap between adjacent onesof said fibrous bodies.
 6. A method of producing a fibrous solid carbonmanifold assembly according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: said catalyst isconstituted by metallic fine particles; and the step of bringing thecatalyst fine particle-deposited fibrous bodies into contact with ahydrocarbon gas to generate and grow superfine graphite filaments iscarried out while a magnetic field is applied to said fibrous bodies. 7.A method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly accordingto claim 4 or 5, further comprising the step of removing said catalystfine particles deposited on head portions of said graphite filaments. 8.A method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly accordingto claim 4 or 5, further comprising the steps of: forming a filament setlayer by using a mixture of each of said grown graphitefilament-containing fibrous bodies and a binder; and polishing a surfaceof said filament set layer to thereby reveal said graphite filaments. 9.A method of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly accordingto claim 8, wherein: said step of forming said filament set layer iscarried out by applying or bonding said mixture of each of said fibrousbodies and said binder onto a support member; and said method furthercomprises the step of releasing said support member from said filamentset layer after a surface of said filament set layer is polished.
 10. Amethod of producing a fibrous solid carbon manifold assembly accordingto claim 9, wherein: said step of forming said filament set layer iscarried out by forming a water-soluble adhesive layer on said supportmember and applying or bonding said mixture of each of said fibrousbodies and said binder onto said water-soluble adhesive layer; and saidstep of releasing said support member from said filament set layer iscarried out by dissolving said water-soluble adhesive layer in water.